Peers pressure
by Claude Amelia Song
Summary: Ever wondered what would happen if Draco had a child, Scorpius, during the seventh year? And he would be the same age as Teddy Lupin? Ever wondered how their relationship could be? Here it is my take on it.


Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition

Team: Pride of Portree

Chaser three: You'll be writing about two characters in a school peers relationship

Characters chosen: Scorpius and Teddy

Additional prompts:

4.(word) name

5.(food) strawberry

14.(word) fix

Word count: 1402

Note: it's an AU where Scorpius is the same age as Teddy born in the war, Draco's love child with a Hufflepuff Witch. They both died because Draco switched sides to protect his child.

Betaed by Morna, Aethra, Sarah, Jessica, Tee and Oni. Thank you so much!

* * *

Peer Pressure

Scorpius did not like visiting the Weasleys very much. There were always too many happy faces. The only good thing about it was seeing Teddy. His cousin (second cousin, technically) was the only one who _understood_ how it felt to be... _alone_. Both of them had lost parents in the war, both of them were raised by grandparents who looked at them and saw their children.

At school though, they rarely got along with one another. Fifteen-year-olds tend to be competitive; fifteen-year-olds who are Slytherin and Gryffindor tend to be even _more_ competitive. Teddy had taken after his father and was a proud Gryffindor; on the other side Scorpius was a Slytherin just like _his_ father.

The difference was that Remus Lupin was a war hero who'd died fighting against Voldemort's evil forces along with his wife, while Draco Malfoy was a disgraced Death Eater who had accidentally gotten his girlfriend pregnant during the war.

They were so different and yet the same in many ways. Though he'd never admit it, Scorpius looked up to Teddy just a little bit. The confident, blue-haired boy made Scorpius want to be braver and more social too.

Their loneliness brought them closer when they were out of school for the summer or on break. Malfoy, Lupin—they were just names and yet, it made all the difference to the world around them. One was loved, the other reviled, or, at best, invisible.

Scorpius enjoyed the short time he spent with Teddy during the summer. It was nice; he felt that he belonged somewhere. Like he was understood. The Weasleys didn't treat him like an equal—they pitied him for losing his parents under such tragic circumstances—but Teddy did. He understood. They shared a lot of common passions: Quidditch, reading, Charms, Transfiguration...the list went on. Yet, it was only when they were at the Burrow, united in their shared losses as the Weasleys blithely went on about their day, that they could ever see eye-to-eye.

But, when they finally were back at school, that set them even more against each other. They were so alike and so very different at the same time.

And so, maybe that was why the Transfiguration professor, Mrs. Hermione Jean Snape, partnered them together for the autumnal Animate Project.

"You need to learn how to work together," she'd said to them both when they'd gone to her to complain. "I'd like to see you acting, for once, as peers, not just acquaintances at school. You spend hours together at the Burrow, to the exclusion of others. I'd like to see the same solidarity at school too!"

"But...Auntie.."

"No, Teddy. He's your cousin. You need to learn to work together as a team."

One thing was certain: the female Professor Snape, just like her husband, couldn't be moved. Maybe that's why they were married.

"Well…" They both said, staring at one another in the Transfiguration classroom.

"Don't forget— you have two weeks to complete this project, and your final score will depend on it," the professor reminded them, before leaving them alone and going to dinner.

"Ugh! Why should I have to work with you? It was better back in the days where students all did their own work and were judged accordingly!" Scorpius shouted, glaring at the papers which contained the specific details of the project.

Teddy glared at Scorpius.

"Don't you _dare_ say that again! It was _better_ then? There was a _war_ going on! Our parents gave their lives so that we could do this so-called _stupid_ project! My parents died trying to protect me. Your father died because wanted to protect your mother and you! Don't you think that you ought to be just a bit more grateful?"

Scorpius didn't know what to say. He wasn't used to just _talking_ with Teddy at school. Mrs Snape had told them to act like normal school _peers_. That wasn't how they usually interacted at Hogwarts; they mostly just fought or ignored each other. Who was she kidding? Did she really think that working on a project would change things?

"Furthermore, I know for a fact that the notion of group projects have been assigned at Hogwarts before, but it fell out of use in the past few decades. Muggles took it from us, not vice versa. I know you don't like working with me, and believe me when I say that the feeling is mutual, but honestly, you should be grateful she paired us together. Like it or not, we both have fairly advanced abilities, we're both good in Charms and Transfiguration; we're on the same level. We've got the best chance for a good grade if we work together. Auntie is right, we should try to work things out. Maybe we'll never be friends like cousins should be, but at least we can try to have a friendly relationship as peers. It can't kill us, right?" Teddy said.

'That's easy for him to say,' Scorpius thought. Unlike Scorpius, Teddy had a good relationship with his Gryffindor housemates. He was also a member of lots of different groups and had friends from all the other Houses. Scorpius had very few friends in his own House, much less friends elsewhere; he had never been very social to begin with.

"Come on, Scorpius, this is our chance to fix things. If you really think about it, we're so alike and yet we hardly ever speak. The only time we're together is at the Burrow. I always thought you didn't want to be part of our group at school. Or maybe that you didn't want to associate with me. After all, you always avoid me unless it's to fight or bicker."

Scorpius looked down.

"I was afraid. I always wanted to speak more with you, especially at school, 'cause you're the only one who understands; but I could never work up the courage. Not when you're always surrounded by so many friends. I feel so out of place and you make it look natural. I want to make a name for myself and be brave too; but I'm too much of a coward to even try."

Teddy put a hand on his shoulder. "How about we try together?"

Scorpius looked up, his eyes wide with shock. "Really? Because that would be brilliant...I mean—"

Teddy nodded and his hair flashed an electric blue, which Scorpius knew meant he was experiencing the same feeling of elation.

"So, do you have any idea about what our project should be? I was thinking about the transfiguration of a hippogriff into something else…something along those lines!" Teddy said with a grin.

Scorpius smiled. It seemed like a fairly unique idea. "We'll see. Now, we'd better head towards the Great Hall, otherwise we'll miss dinner," he pointed out.

Teddy nodded. "Well said."

Together they left the classroom, closing the door behind them.

"So, then. Tell me more about the hippogriff idea!" Scorpius said, his voice full of excitement.

* * *

 _Several days later..._

Scorpius laughed. "That can't be true!"

"Oh, but it _was_!" Teddy shouted and made a silly face.

Scorpius laughed at his cousin's antics. How things had changed!

"I have to go back to my dorm, but before I do, can you please pass me some strawberries? They look amazing!" Scorpius asked, reaching for the bowl.

Teddy snatched away the bowl and made his best goblin face. "Oh, you want a strawberry do you? I might be persuaded to give one up for a sickle or two. Or, if that's too expensive, I suppose you could go get some from the kitchens!"

"Teddy! You're supposed to share!" But this time, instead of scowling, Scorpius laughed.

"Alright, alright. I'll be a good fellow and share with you," Teddy said and handed the bowl to him. "Go on, take some!"

Scorpius took the bowl and started to run away, laughing. "Thank you! My dorm mates will love them!"

"Oi! I said SOME not ALL, you mental snake!" Teddy watched him leave and shook his head. They may never be best friends, although he personally hoped they would be one day, but at least they had built a stronger camaraderie together as schoolmates— _peers_ —in the course of completing their project together. Life had not been kind to either Teddy Lupin or Scorpius Malfoy, but with a little luck and a lot of patience, maybe they'd be just fine after all.


End file.
